Stephen De La Vega

  The Stanley Cup . One of the most revered trophies in professional sports. The cup itself has never changed, and it is the only professional trophy to display the names of every player of the championship team each year. As a hockey fan, I’ve seen this trophy in person. Not as my home team skated around the ice with it after winning the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That hasn’t happened yet. I’ve seen it in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto where it stands protected and honored most of the year. One thing I appreciate about the great sport of hockey: There isn’t a lot of glory outside of teamwork. Don’t get me wrong, the sport has its share of superstars, but, in its typically low-scoring gameplay, even the superstars thrive only within well-managed, cooperative team play. Teammates continually support and assist each other with humility as they work in unison to get the puck past the opposing goaltender. I imagine most hockey players are not in the game for individual glory. Maybe t...

  I’ve been a Christian for over 40 years. I’ve attended church very regularly for each of those years. I was much more than a Sunday Christian - very involved in ministry. But I was also a closet Christian. I didn’t always speak up for Jesus. I still don’t. Too often I shrink in silence. When the guys in the locker room carry on about girls, I do my own thing. When they exclaim, “Jesus Christ!,” I keep quiet. Sure, they know I’m a Christian. They even know I published some Bible studies, but when they occasionally comment about going to church or recite a Bible phrase, I clam up.   Why? Am I ashamed of Jesus?   The short answer: Yes, I am ashamed of Jesus. I’m a member of Christians Anonymous . Sometimes I prefer to sit on the sidelines and just watch instead of following through with the Great Commission that Jesus expects of us: Do what we can to help people everywhere follow Jesus, who in turn will do the same ( Matthew 28:19-20 , Acts 1:8 ). Who a...

  What would happen if the pilots of the United States Navy  Blue Angels  fail to follow the command of their Flight Leader? I will not venture a guess, but the gaze from onlookers would shift form admiration to disillusionment. Falling short of the teamwork and professionalism we expect of each pilot, the United States  Navy  and  MarineCorps  could lose credibility. Their reputation of excellence could be replaced by irreverence. Accidents do happen, but we don’t expect them from these ranking officers of the US Navy and Marine Corps who each tallied at least 1250 hours of flight experience. People across the globe have witnessed their competency as they blaze at speeds up to 700 mph during an air show and buzz as close as 18” between wings. The role of the Flight Leader is critical and it demands precision from each team member. The slightest error can be devastating. Following the direction of God as our Flight Leader should also demand excelle...